Abatement systems function, generally, to remove heat and/or one or more pollutants from a stream of flue gas that is created by the combustion of one or more fuels. For example, a heat abatement system may remove, and optionally recover, heat from a stream of flue gas that is created by the combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel. Also, for example, a pollution abatement system may remove one or more pollutants from a stream of flue gas that is created by the combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel. Byproducts of hydrocarbon fuel combustion include one or more of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, water, carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, oxides of sulfur, mercury, particulates (e.g., soot) and oxides of nitrogen. The carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, oxides of sulfur, mercury, particulates, and oxides of nitrogen are often classified as pollutants and may be subject to one or more governmental guidelines that regulate their control.
Many abatement systems make use of one or more misting arrays, optionally in combination with one or more condensing coils, to effect the removal of heat and/or at least one targeted pollutant. One such pollution abatement system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,344,177, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Generally speaking, the technology of U.S. Pat. No. 6,344,177 involves removing contaminants from flue gas by flowing the flue gas through a first misting array, a first condensing coil, a second misting array, and a second condensing coil. Other abatement systems may utilize different apparatus and methods for pollution abatement and/or heat recovery or abatement.
Although current abatement systems allow for the removal of heat and/or one or more pollutants from a contaminated gas flow, many suffer from one or more drawbacks. For example, abatement systems which employ one or more misting arrays may not obtain desired coverage characteristics from the misting array, may not employ misting arrays whose nozzle output is directionally adjustable, and/or may not employ misting arrays that may be conveniently serviced or replaced. Moreover, other aspects of the abatement system such as, for example, the intake and exhaust system, any condensing coil section present, and other structural aspects of and methods related to the abatement system, may suffer from one or more drawbacks. Thus, applicants have recognized and appreciated the need to improve various aspects of an abatement system.